Portland OR 2018 Registration
is
NOW OPEN

This one day mixed media painting workshop is open to all skill levels.
weather you have never painted before in your life or are an accomplished artist this class will offer you simple exploratory techniques in terms of application as well as new ways of looking at your artistic process.

Through guided prompts students will create directed imagery, symbolism, and text that will give them insight to there inner animal powers some they never knew they had. reminding us of our strengths. Whhile learning expressive inspiring techniques that will engage us in our artmaking and process. Students will be given a set of elements to explore, learning to let paintings unfold rather then forcing them into a context. the prompts are simple and fast paced to keep students from overthinking or worrying about perfection. expression is fluid not refined. it is layering of ideas and expressed marks that we refine a feeling rather than a defined outcome. While working in new ways. At the end of the exercise students will be asked to reflect on there choices so they will gain self understanding and inject this into there work.
using symbols texts and animal forms to understand and tell a story that is personal and empowered with wishes and choice.

This class will be a heavy imersion into doing rather than over thinking.. you will be given all the techniques and images in direct prompts in quick easy directives with examples, The reflection on what has been accomplished should come later. Seperate from the moment of doing. Making each moment pure for its own experience. By seperating making and understanding into there own moments you can ponder clearly what has been said rather then what you intended to do. from this direction you are encouraged to share your truest feelings.

How this world will develop:

Using hands as a base for inspired drawing start building stones, mountains, faces, to create the landscape - create the ground shape the mountains devide the faces - place the symbols to mark your land in four corners- create doors windows ladders bridges strings hot air baloons - allow the stick figures to roam climb sleep find - become the animal you were meant to be - blured to the landscape overtaking it or dwelling within it - cave drawings - fossils - a map written to find a treasure you must become lost to find.

Students will create there own reference sheets of markings, and techniques for future reference of all the processes used to create the lessons.. the individual techniques are simple and inspired it is the combination and connection that creates the complexity..

We will only use black and white by removing color we remove its competition and confusion, seeing our marks and individual interactions more clearly for what they are. we will also be able to see the importance of contrast. it is in contrast that images brew waiting to be found.

Most of the required supplies for your classes can be pre-ordered from Collage. They will be ready and waiting for you to pick up when you arrive at the retreat. For further info and to place your order, contact: